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Need help deciding which resort/island to vacation at in September

Hi. We need help narrowing down where to go for our September trip to the Caribbean/Mexico. My husband and I are leaving the kids at home for a relaxing getaway to recharge our marriage after he graduates business school. In order to accommodate our overall budget we are looking for a resort that is around $500 AI or $300 non-AI (assuming food would be around $200/day separate).

Below are some of our criterias:
1) Our main goal is to have a nice room to relax, read books and drink wine on a gorgeous balcony/patio. We prefer the room to have some space to sit not just a bed. We want to feel secluded in our own world (but still have entertainment/activities on site) and a space that immediately transports us to the Caribbean state of mind.

2) We are big foodies so some options on the resort would be good so we don't feel like we are eating the same thing every night. Room service to our room would be good too.

3) As for resort amenities - we definitely want to do the spa, maybe snorkeling and/or swim with dolphin excursion. We like the beach but are not big ocean swimmers but do enjoy floating in a lazy river/pool.

I have looked everywhere from Excellence Playa Mujeres to Renaissance Carambola St. Croix. We are over the map on trying to decide which place is the best for us.

You're very welcome
I know Mexico best, and on the Caribbean side it's hurricane season & rainy season, and on the west coast it's just plain the "rainiest month of the year" and very hot and humid (in Puerto Vallarta, for example).

But I'm pretty sure the same is true on many of the Caribbean islands... hopefully others will chime in to confirm.

I don't know about "should be avoided" but YES do go in knowing it IS the height of the rainy season at Mexican coastal resorts (August & September are typically the hottest & wettest months of the year) and there is hurricane risk on the Caribbean side.

Actually, although it is the designated rainy/hurricane season many of the islands in the Caribbean that are largely unaffected by any truly adverse weather during August/September. I live in Barbados and we haven't experienced the brunt of even a storm in years.

Now that I've actually read your entire post I'd suggest Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica or Barbados if you're in for culinary diversity as they come to mind most to fit the bill. when I travel regionally I use caribbeantraveller.com as a good start for accommodation. it's a simple site but it's got a lot of info

Take a look at Secrets Maroma. Its mainly a couples resort. We did a girls trip last nov and loved it. Its one to the top notch all inclusives in the area. The service is fantastic. The beach is very nice. I have never been to a resort where calls back to the US are free. The only thing we paid for were spa treatments. It is not crowded (which was one of my key requirements).